Your typical Utahn isn’t getting around without a car. Jennifer, our Rider of the Month, challenges that notion. A Utah resident since 2005, Jennifer has never owned a car and doesn’t think she needs to.

Background

A born and bred Bronx girl, Jennifer has grit. She has lived everywhere from New York to Atlanta and now resides in Utah with her family.

Jennifer reminisces on New York, recounting her love for the food, people, and culture: “I enjoyed the fast pace of life. However, I enjoy Utah and how calm it is for me and my family. We’ve dealt with a lot, and the people in our community always step up to the plate and lend us a helping hand.”

Jennifer now resides in Layton with her family. She recounts her first encounter with UTA: “I got pulled over by a cop when I first came to Utah. I was shocked seeing the train above ground and it flustered me, so I ran a red. He let me off and told me our trains aren’t underground here. That was my first interaction with the UTA!” Jennifer’s first impression of UTA didn’t deter her from using our system. In fact, she’s been reliant on it for 17 years.

“It was a wake-up call when I moved here from New York. Everything is spread out. I was a single mom with no wheels. This is why the UTA has been my savior.”

How long have you been riding?

“I started riding the FrontRunner in 2010. We now as a family use the whole system to go to Comic Con and to events at the Salt Palace, really just everywhere. We also use Paratransit for my daughter. The operators are extremely nice. There have been times we’ve needed extra help and they’ve picked us up right at our door.”

Thankful for how UTA has helped her family, Jennifer has considered applying to be an operator herself. “I want to pay it forward. I want to express my thanks.”

Why do you ride?

“My husband got a heart transplant in 2021 and the FrontRunner has been such a help to get to and from Layton to Murray for his doctor’s visits.”

Jennifer spoke on how her family views taking transit: “It’s like a road trip or a fun, family outing for us. We play Pokémon GO, and all the train stops have a Pokémon Gem. Sometimes, we just get on and go catch Pokémon! Even Keeta, our dog will get excited to ride and will look out the window.”

Getting from Layton to Provo would be quite the drive if it weren’t for the FrontRunner. Jennifer’s daughter, Hailey lives in a group home in Provo. “FrontRunner is the easiest and most convenient way for me to see her. Traffic is bad by the point of the mountain and, really, the train is just a lot of fun. We like to count the stops on the way and we always go by something new we’ve never noticed!”

Do you have any rider tips?

“Always be prepared for any sort of weather! Utah weather changes in a heartbeat. So, your ride might be delayed. That’s when it’s even more important to be patient with operators. They’re always doing their best. They always have a lot on their plate. The last piece of advice would be to always have the UTA app on you and check it before you head out!”

Learn More

To learn more about how to enjoy using UTA, visit How To Ride. To nominate someone for a future Rider of the Month award, please email us at getsocial@rideuta.com.